Plan for Jeremy Bamber
by Jeremy Bamber · 05/08/2002 (8:52 pm) · 0 comments
OK, so I just looked at the game projects in the Marketplace. I would say that about 80% of the projects there were either fantasy or mmorpg games. I've never liked online rpgs so its kinda depressing that so many people feel the need to do them. ultimately they will all be the same.
The last .plan I did detailed some ideas for a fantasy game so I have chosen to abandon it for the time being. I still think it could be formed into a fine game however I would like to at least try and be original.
Of course there's 'original' and then there's original. I could never devise a game so original that it was almost Japanese in its proportion of originality. I'd rather design games which still focused on action of the violent nature rather than big, brightly colored shapes whizzing around to the sound of modem beeps (I'm talking about REZ).
So we come to my latest idea. It is a game in the style of 'film noir'. This means it involves walking around in a trenchcoat and fedora, being surly to everyone you meet, and getting in frequent fights. All this whilst attempting to solve a mystery. Probably in the rain.
I know that this isn't the height of originality however I get the feeling that it is not a genre quite as worn out as marching around slaying dragons and searching for artifacts the spoon of destiny.
I'm undecided as to wether this game will be serious about what it does or wether it will basically be a rip-off of every decent film noir story and therefore a bit of a piss-take. Whichever, I plan to pack it to the brim with cliches: Car chases, alleyway punch-ups, bar room shootouts, fighting on top of a moving train, evading both the cops and the enemy goons at every turn, getting socked around the head and falling into a deep well of unconsciousness, and of course - The rooftop finale.
This idea was concocted by reading too much Raymond Chandler, Robert Rankin, and playing too much Max Payne.
It will be set in the time period of all good film noir. The weapons and vehicles will of course fit with this. The game will probably be played form a 3rd person perspective as ths will allow better interaction with the environment and will make the hand-to-hand easier to control than if it were 1st person.
Story wise I don't have much yet:
Your sitting in your office, smoking your favorite brand, when in walks a stunning six foot blonde. He's got a damn fine dame with him too.
"wait outside Heinz."
The ox grunts a reply then lumbers out. The dame sits down in the clients chair and you realize you've dropped your cigarette in your lap. She starts to explain her problems to you as you nonchalantly pour cold coffee on the singed area of your pants.
"Listen Mr Barlow, I've got a problem."
"We've all got problems honey." The coffee was only cold on the top. It had retained almost all its heat lower down the pot.Unfortunately you only discovered this when it landed in your lap.
"My husband has gone missing mr Barlow. normally I wouldn't be worried but this time he was sober."
"So who's butch?" you say with a nod to the waiting room door.
"Just a...friend. But listen Mr Barlow, I think he's in trouble this time, big trouble"
...
Of course you accepted the case, you had to. You were skint and had burned a hole in your only pair of trousers. But of course it wasn't really The Husband who was in all the trouble. At least not after you took the case. Because you had no idea how much shit you had just let yourself in for, smoldering trousers aside.
When its a better formed and I got more plot down I'll write up another .plan.
If your interested in this idea (though it needs more explanation) then contact me.
BTW- My fantasy idea does still stand, if your interested check out my previous .plan.
The last .plan I did detailed some ideas for a fantasy game so I have chosen to abandon it for the time being. I still think it could be formed into a fine game however I would like to at least try and be original.
Of course there's 'original' and then there's original. I could never devise a game so original that it was almost Japanese in its proportion of originality. I'd rather design games which still focused on action of the violent nature rather than big, brightly colored shapes whizzing around to the sound of modem beeps (I'm talking about REZ).
So we come to my latest idea. It is a game in the style of 'film noir'. This means it involves walking around in a trenchcoat and fedora, being surly to everyone you meet, and getting in frequent fights. All this whilst attempting to solve a mystery. Probably in the rain.
I know that this isn't the height of originality however I get the feeling that it is not a genre quite as worn out as marching around slaying dragons and searching for artifacts the spoon of destiny.
I'm undecided as to wether this game will be serious about what it does or wether it will basically be a rip-off of every decent film noir story and therefore a bit of a piss-take. Whichever, I plan to pack it to the brim with cliches: Car chases, alleyway punch-ups, bar room shootouts, fighting on top of a moving train, evading both the cops and the enemy goons at every turn, getting socked around the head and falling into a deep well of unconsciousness, and of course - The rooftop finale.
This idea was concocted by reading too much Raymond Chandler, Robert Rankin, and playing too much Max Payne.
It will be set in the time period of all good film noir. The weapons and vehicles will of course fit with this. The game will probably be played form a 3rd person perspective as ths will allow better interaction with the environment and will make the hand-to-hand easier to control than if it were 1st person.
Story wise I don't have much yet:
Your sitting in your office, smoking your favorite brand, when in walks a stunning six foot blonde. He's got a damn fine dame with him too.
"wait outside Heinz."
The ox grunts a reply then lumbers out. The dame sits down in the clients chair and you realize you've dropped your cigarette in your lap. She starts to explain her problems to you as you nonchalantly pour cold coffee on the singed area of your pants.
"Listen Mr Barlow, I've got a problem."
"We've all got problems honey." The coffee was only cold on the top. It had retained almost all its heat lower down the pot.Unfortunately you only discovered this when it landed in your lap.
"My husband has gone missing mr Barlow. normally I wouldn't be worried but this time he was sober."
"So who's butch?" you say with a nod to the waiting room door.
"Just a...friend. But listen Mr Barlow, I think he's in trouble this time, big trouble"
...
Of course you accepted the case, you had to. You were skint and had burned a hole in your only pair of trousers. But of course it wasn't really The Husband who was in all the trouble. At least not after you took the case. Because you had no idea how much shit you had just let yourself in for, smoldering trousers aside.
When its a better formed and I got more plot down I'll write up another .plan.
If your interested in this idea (though it needs more explanation) then contact me.
BTW- My fantasy idea does still stand, if your interested check out my previous .plan.
